Process and apparatus for spinning fibrous materials



Oct. 22, 1963 J. MEIMBERG PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS v Filed April 20, 1955 1 FIG-l F/GQ INVENTOR.

\lUL/ U5 ME/MBERG United States Patent Olfice h lfil iw Patented Oct. 22, 1963 3,107,477 PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR SPINNING FIBROUS MATERIALS Julius Meimberg, 74 Friesenring, Munster, Westphalia, Germany Filed Apr. 20, 1955, Ser. No. 502,565 In Germany Nov. 23, 1949 Public Law 619, Aug. 23, 1954 Patent expires Nov. 23, 1969 9 Claims. (Cl. 57-50) The present invention relates to the spinning of fibrous materials.

In conformity with the heretofore customary spinning processes for spinning fibrous materials, the twisting of the fibers of the yarn is effected by rotating the yarn about its longitudinal axis. To this end, the bobbins on which the yarn is wound, are rotated, the twisting being effected before or during said winding operation. The so-called self-acting spinning mule used for this purpose, for example, for the spinning of carded yarn, consists of a spindle carriage adapted to be moved in and out, i.e. reciprocated at intervals to perform separate functions of twisting and winding. On the said carriage there are arranged a plurality of inclined spinning spindles. Inasmuch as the yarn length supplied to the spindles is shorter than the distance by which the carriage is moved out, it will be evident that when the carriage is so moved, the yarn will be drafted and will acquire its twist by the rotating spindles on the carriage. When the carriage is moved in, the spindles tip over by an angle of about 90 and wind up the spun thread on a spindle bobbin. The mechanical arrangement necessary for this purpose is extremely complicated. The mule also has the drawback of discontinuous operation, inasmuch as the spinning and winding-up steps represent separate operations.

In contrast to the mule, the ring spinning machine operates continuously. Also in this instance the final twist is imparted upon the yarn by a rapidly rotating spindle while the yarn is wound on a bobbin mounted on said spindle.

In both instances mentioned above it is necessary to stop the machine as soon as the bobbins are filled so that the full bobbins may be replaced by empty bobbins. In view of the relatively small capacity of the bobbins, it will be appreciated that this process of replacing the full bobbins by empty bobbins has to be repated rather frequently.

It will furthermore be appreciated that both methods referred to above have the common feature that the yarn obtains its twist by the rotation of the spindle on which the bobbin is mounted. In order to obtain a uniform twist, it is indispensable to vary the speed of the spindle as more and more yarn is being wound upon the bob-bin on said spindle. With ring spinning machines, this speed variation is obtained by so-called spinning regulators.

For the purpose of further processing the yarn, for instance for doubling or dyeing, it was heretofore necessary to wind off the yarn from the bobbins.

The extreme complexity of the heretofore known machines for the purpose involved renders their use economically possible only when a single unit is capable of a large output. Therefore, a large number of spindles exceeding from 400 to 500 spindles in the case of the mule, has to be arranged on one single machine. It will thus be evident that such machines are suitable only for very large scale operations. Smaller plants are not in a position to utilize such expensive machines economically and, therefore, they are compelled to buy spun yarn rather than to carry out the spinning operation in their own plant.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a method of and device for spinning fibrous materials, which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method of and device for spinning fibrous materials according to which the fibrous material to be spun may be fed in a continuous process to a spinning station while it is sumultaneously combed and drafted, and according to which the fibers are likewise in a continuous process combined to a fiber strand or sliver of a thickness required for a desired yarn without the necessity of winding the yarn upon bobbins for the purpose of twisting.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

'FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the heretofore customary process of spinning fibers.

FIG. 2 diagrammatically illustrates the principles of the method of spinning fibrous materials according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically illustrates a spinning apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the front part of the spinning apparatus according to FIG. 3 with a portion thereof omitted.

FIG. 5 is an elevation of a modified spinning apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 6 shows still another modification of feeding a yarn fleece to a spinning station.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates an arrangement with two discs of the type shown in FIG. 6 for doubling the twisted yarn.

The present invention is characterized primarily in that the spinning of the fibrous material, which is passed in a continuous manner through a spinning apparatus, is effected by separating the fibers from the fiber fleece or roving fed into said apparatus and feeding said fibers to a spinning position in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the finished yarn, thereby imparting upon said fibers the desired rotation about the axis of the finished yarn. It is this rotation which effects the twisting, whereupon t-he finished yarn is withdrawn continuously at a velocity corresponding to the feeding velocity.

The spinning process according to the invention is carried out by means of a rotatable carrier member, for instance a disc, which is adapted to rotate about the axis of the spun yarn. The said carrier member or disc carries a collecting device for taking off the fibers from the feeding device andfor feeding the fibers radially inwardly with regard to the carrier member. The effective speed of the collecting device on the carrier member or disc and the speed at which the finished yarn is withdrawn from the spinning device are maintained equal and are lower than the circumferential speed of the carrier member. The spun yarn may then be processed in a continuous manner, for instance, may be dyed, dried and then finally wound up or supplied to a knitting machine adjacent to the spinning machine. The Working speed will be determined by the length of the yarn produced per unit of time by the spinning machine.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and FIG. 1 thereof in particular, this figure diagrammatically illustrates the heretofore known method of spinning. According to this heretofore known method of spinning, fibers a are spun onto a rotating conical bobbin b and, due to the rotation of said bobbin b the twist imparted thereby forms a yarn c, the twist extending to and about on the not yet spun fibers a. After the bobbin b has been filled, the operation has to be interrupted and the filled bobbin has to be replaced by an empty one.

The principle of the method according to the present invention is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 2 according to which the fibers a during the spinning operation simultaneously undergo a rotary movement about the axis of the finished yarn 0. However, in contrast to the heretofore known method, the finished yarn is not rotated and therefore can be withdrawn in a continuous and uniform manner without the necessity of winding the yarn up on a bobbin or reel.

FIG. 3 diagrammatically shows a spinning apparatus according to the invention. As will be seen from FIG. 3, a support or frame member 11 carries a shaft k on which are mounted pinions l and m keyed to said shaft k. Also keyed to shaft k is a pulley k rotatable by a belt 11 which in turn is driven in any convenient manner. The driving direction of the belt n is indicated by the arrow, and the pinions l and in will rotate accordingly. The pinion in has one or two teeth more than the pinion l, and both pinions l and m respectively mesh with pinions and p. Pinion p is rigidly connected to a disc d by a hollow shaft q which is rotatably journalled in bearings 1'. Disc d carries two studs or shafts r which in turn have rotatably mounted thereon drums e and 2'. These drums are adjacent the disc 0. and provided with pinions t and t having the same size and the same number of teeth. The pinions t and t mesh with a pinion w of a drum 1 which is centrally arranged with regard to disc d but is not connected thereto. More specifically, drum f-is rotatable independently of disc d and is keyed to a shaft .9 which extends through the hollow shaft (1 of disc d and has keyed thereon the pinion o. The drums e and e" guide a needle or porcupine belt g. The belt g has approximately the width of the drums e, e" but only a portion of the width of the belt is effective for carrying fibers to the withdrawing station, i.e. the point where the fibers are withdrawn from the porcupine belt g in a direction perpendicular to the plane of disc a. While the drums c and e" extend over the entire width v of belt g the drum 7 extends only over a portion of the width of belt g so that fibers can be withdrawn from the needle covered side thereof. As will also be seen from FIG. 4, the yarn c is withdrawn from that portion of the porcupine belt g which is arranged adjacent the drum Inasmuch as the drums e, and e are respectively journalled on shafts r, they rotate together with disc at about shaft s, disc d rotating in counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 4. If disc d were standing still and consequently shafts r for the pinions t and 1' were at a standstill, it will be appreciated that with the belt 11 rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow, the pinion w would rotate in counterclockwise direction and the pinions t and I would rotate in clockwise direction. However, since the disc d does not stand still when pulley it rotates, the pinions t and t are moved around pinion w in counterclockwise direction by the disc a'. Since furthermore pinion w rotates at a lower speed than disc d, the pinions t, t and thereby the drums e and e will rotate in counterclockwise direction with the result that the porcupine belt g will move in the direction of the arrow C. Furthermore, the arrangement shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a withdrawing tube x which extends about the axis of rotation of disc d and of that portion of porcupine belt g which passes over drum f (see FIG. 3). Tube x is supported by a support z in any convenient manner.

Operation The apparatus according to the present invention operates as follows:

The rotation of the two pinions l and m by the belt 11 and pulley k causes the pinions 0 and p to rotate which in turn drive the hollow shaft or hub q and shaft s. In view of the rotation of shaft q, disc d will rotate in the direction of the arrow A. Due to the rotation of shaft s, drum 1 will rotate in the same direction as disc d, both disc d and drum 1 rotating in opposite direction to the rotation of the pinions l and m. Inasmuch as pinion in driving disc d has more teeth than pinion 1 driving drum 7, drum 1 will rotate somewhat slower than pinion p and disc d. This slower rotation of drum 1 is transmitted to the two drums e and e. Since, however, dums e and e" are carried around drum 1 by disc d in counterclockwise direction, drums e and e will like disc d rotate about their axes in counterclockwise direction at a relatively low rotational speed which is lower than the speed of rotation of disc a. Consequently, the porcupine belt g passing over the drums e, f, 0 moves in the same direction as disc at but at a linear advancing speed which is lower than the rotational speed of disc at. The fiber fleece a is picked up by the porcupine belt near the periphery of disc :1, for instance as shown in FIG. 4. The fiber fleece or roving is then conveyed by the porcupine belt g over drum 2 and passes over but behind drum 3 (with regard to FIG. 4). It is here that the roving is withdrawn through tube x. Inasmuch as disc d rotates simultaneously together with the entire assembly thereon, i.e. drums e, e, f and the porcupine belt passing thereover, the roving being withdraw obtains a twist so that the twisted fiber is withdrawn in the form as shown in FIG. 4. Inasmuch as the withdrawal takes place along the central axis or axis of rotation of disc d, no winding of the yarn c on a bobbin is necessary, or expressed differently the yarn c may directly be passed to a further apparatus for further processing, as for instance dyeing the yarn.

It will be appreciated that the porcupine belt or needle band g has its needles arranged obliquely in the usual way projecting in the direction as shown in FIG. 4 so that they will not only pick up the fiber fleece but will also simultaneously draft the fibers being picked up.

As indicated above, the fiber material or roving is being fed or pulled into the porcupine belt. Since with each rotation or revolution of the disc d, the porcupine belt moves a little bit ahead on the disc, always new needles pull out or comb out fibers from the roving. For purposes of illustration, with a disc having a diameter of 270 millimeters, one and the same needle will after one revolution of disc :1 have advanced over the belt-carrying drums by a distance of 3.3 millimeters. Assuming that the total length of the needle belt equals approximately twice the diameter of disc d, i.e. 540 millimeters, it will be clear that one and the same needle will have to carry out a combing action approximately 164 times (540 divided by 3.3) before, when starting from the withdrawing station (tube 1 in FIG. 3) it again reaches the withdrawing station. It will thus be clear that each needle again and again places combed-out fibers over combed-out fibers and thus builds up a fiber strand which is then withdrawn at the withdrawing station. Since each and every needle on the porcupine belt g performs this action, it will also be evident that a continuous withdrawing operation can be carried out at the withdrawing station. It will furthermore be evident that, as already indicated above, the retation of disc d and thereby of belt g about the axis of rotation of disc 11 imparts a twist upon the fiber strand being withdrawn.

It will be appreciated that if shaft s is hollow, a previously spun yarn could be passed from the left-hand side of FIG. 3 through shaft s and tube x so that thread or yarn c furnished by the spinning apparatus according to FIGS. 3 and 4 would cover the yarn passing through hollow shaft s. In this way, covered yarns, as for example imitation or carpet yarns, could be produced by the spinning apparatus according to the invention.

Referring now to the arrangement of FIG. 5, the device shown therein uses precisely the same principle as described above in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4. The only difference resides in that instead of providing one drum e and one drum 2" as in FIGS. 3 and 4 there are provided four drums E1, E2, E3, E4. The central drum is in this instance designated as F. The device supplying the yarn to the needle band G consists in this instance of another 3 endless needle band or porcupine belt G1 the shape of which is adapted to the circumference of the disc d. Said needle band G1 moves at a lower speed than the circumferential speed of disc or the needle band g carried thereon. Thus at the point of contact of the fiber material coming from band G1 with belt g, the fibers are withdrawn from belt G1, drafted, and carried by band g to the central spinning station as described above in con nection with P168. 3 and 4. This arrangement likewise has a tube x.

FIG. 6 illustrates a further modification of the present invention. According to the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, two drums are provided on disc :1, one of which namely W1 is provided with peripheral slots (not shown). A further drum W2 is mounted inside the drum W1 and is provided with radial needles on its periphery. These needles protrude through the slots in the outer drum W1 and Withdraw the fibers from a supply device (not shown) and convey them to the point of contact of the drum W1 with the periphery of a third dnum W3 which is positively driven. The smooth peripheral surface of drum W3 may be covered for example by rubber. At this point the needles of drum W2. are retracted into the interior of the drum W1, i.e. they no longer project beyond the periphery of drum W1, so that the material is grasped by the rubber covered drum pressing against said material so that the material is conveyed to the central spinning station.

FIG. 7 diagrammatically illustrates an arrangement with two discs d which may be constructed and operated in the same way as that of FIG. 6. From each of the said discs, the finished yarn is withdrawn in a direction perpendicular to each said disc and may then be supplied to an adjacent loom (not shown) in the same way as described above. A plurality of such discs each rotating in the same direction at their points of adjacency are coupled together by a member M and then additionally rotated about a common shaft N in the direction of rotation of either disc about its axis or opposite thereto but at a lower speed. In this way, the spun yarn is doubled in the same operation as is clearly illustrated in FIG. 7. it will be understood that the thus doubled yarn has only for purpose of illustration been shown as being located in the plane of the drawing but is actually in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. It is also to be understood that there are provided guides for guiding the spun yarn and doubled yarn. However, inasmuch as these guides do not form part of the present invention, and are Well-known per se, they have not been illustrated in the drawing.

As will be evident from the above, the present invention makes it possible to dispense with the intermediate wind ing-up of the yarn as was necessary heretofore so that an arrangement according to the present invention is not subjected to the difficulties which are inherent to heretofore known spinning devices in view of the necessity of imparting a uniform speed of rotation to the bobbins while they are being filled.

The spinning apparatus acocrding to the present invention is of the simplest conceivable construction and may be driven individually or coupled together in any desired numbers to form units of any desired size.

It is also to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments illustrated in the drawings but also comprises any modifications thereof within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of spinning fiber material, which includes the steps of: feeding the fiber material to be spun in a continuous manner and at a substantially even flow over a given path to a spinning station; simultaneously combing said fiber material passing over said path and drafting the individual fibers thereof; combining the thus drafted fibers to a fiber strand of a thickness required for a desired yarn, thereby forming a sliver; and, while deviating and withdrawing from said given path the thus formed sliver in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the fiber material is being fed to the spinning station, twisting the individual fibers of said deviated sliver about the longitudinal axis of the latter to thereby form a spun yarn.

2. A method of spinning fiber material, which includes the steps of: feeding the fiber material to be spun in a continuous manner and at a substantially even flow over a curved path to a spinning station; simultaneously combing the individual fibers of said fiber material in a rotative movement, combining said combed individual fibers to a sliver of a desired thickness, and deviating and withdrawing from said curved path the thus formed sliver laterally with regard to the direction in which said fiber material is being fed to said spinning station while simultaneously twisting the individual fibers of said deviated sliver about the longitudinal axis of the latter to thereby form a spun yarn.

3. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: a rotatable supporting member, movable feeding means supported by said rotatable supporting member for continuously feeding the fiber material to be spun to a point of Withdrawal located on the axis of rotation of said supporting member, said feeding means additionally being rotatable together with said supporting member about the axis of rotation of the latter, means for continuously rotating said supporting member at a speed higher than the feeding speed of said feeding means, and means for deviating and guiding the fiber material away from said supporting member in the form of a spun yarn.

4. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: a rotatable supporting member, movable feeding means supported by said rotatable supporting member for continuously feeding fiber material to be spun to a point of withdrawal located on the axis of rotation of said supporting member, said feeding means additionally being rotatable in a continuous manner together with said supporting member about the axis of rotation of the latter, means for rotating said supporting member at a speed higher than the feeding speed of said feeding means, and means extending from said supporting member substantially perpendicularly to the major plane of said supporting member for continuously deviating and guiding the fiber material away from said supporting member in the form of a spun yarn in a direction substantially perpendicular to the major plane of said supporting member. a

5. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: a rotatable disc, a plurality of spaced conveyor rollers rotatably supported by said disc, an endless carding belt supported and movable by said rollers for receiving fiber material to be spun and conveying the same to a line substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation of said disc, means arranged substantially coaxially with the axis of rotation of said disc for deviating and guiding fiber material in the form of a spun yarn from said carding belt along said line away from said disc substantially perpendicularly to the major surface thereof, a first driving train connected to said rollers and thereby to said carding belt for driving the latter, and a second driving train connected to said disc for rotating the same in the direction of movement of said carding belt.

6. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: a rotatable disc, a plurality of spaced conveyor rollers rotatably supported by said disc, an endless carding belt supported and movable by said rollers for receiving fiber material to be spun and conveying the same to a line substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation of said disc, means arranged substantially coaxially with the axis of rotation of said disc for deviating and guiding fiber material in the form of a spun yarn from said carding belt along said line away from said disc substantially perpendicularly to the major surface thereof, a first driving train connected to said rollers and thereby to said carding belt for driving the same at a first speed, and a second driving train connected to said disc for rotating the same at a second speed higher than said first speed and in the direction of movement of said carding belt.

7. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: a rotatable disc, a plurality of spaced conveyor rollers rotatably supported by said disc, an endless carding belt supported and movable by said rollers for receiving fiber material to be spun and conveying the same to a line substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation of said disc, a second endless carding belt spaced from said first mentioned carding belt for feeding fiber material to be spun to said first mentioned carding belt, the speed of movement of said second carding belt being less than the speed of movement of said first mentioned carding belt, and means arranged substantially coaxially with the axis of rotation of said disc for deviating and guiding fiber material in the form of a spun yarn from said first mentioned carding belt along said line away from said disc substantially perpendicularly to the major surface thereof.

8. In combination in a spinning device for continuously spinning fiber material: bearing means, a hollow shaft supported by said bearing means, a disc connected to and supported by said hollow shaft for rotation therewith, a first gear train connected to said hollow shaft for rotating the same, a plurality of conveyor rollers rotatably supported by said disc, a carding belt supported by said conveyor rollers for receiving and conveying fiber material to be spun, shaft means extending through said hollow shaft and rotatably journalled therein, a second driving train connected to said shaft, means for driving the same, means connecting said shaft means to said conveyor rollers for rotating the same, and means for deviating and guiding the fiber material away from said disc in the form of a spun yarn.

9. In combination in a spining and twisting device for continuously spinning and twisting fiber material: a master rotatable supporting member, a plurality of subsidiary rotatable supporting members rotatably supported by said master supporting member, feeding means respectively supported by said subsidiary supporting members for feeding fiber material to be spun to a point of withdrawal respectively located on the axis of rotation of said master supporting member, said feeding means additionally being rotatable together with its respective subsidiary supporting members about the axis of rotation of said master supporting member, a second feeding means spaced rom the first mentioned feeding means for feeding fiber material thereto, means for driving said subsidiary supporting members at a speed higher than the feeding speed of said second feeding means, and means respectively extending from said first mentioned feeding means substantially perpendicularly to the major plane of said master supporting member for deviating and guiding the fiber material from said point of withdrawal away from said feeding means to a common point in the form of a spun yarn.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 173,290 Hibry Feb. 8, 1876 687,573 Phillips Nov. 26, 1901 1,542,095 Reinhold June 16, 1925 1,743,601 Gross Jan. 14, 1930 2,418,995 Thomas et al. Apr. 15, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 72,789 Austria Nov. 25, 1916 499,515 Belgium Mar. 16, 1951 695,136 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1953 

1. A METHOD OF SPINNING FIBER MATERIAL, WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF: FEEDING THE FIBER MATERIAL TO BE SPUN IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER AND AT A SUBSTANTIALLY EVEN FLOW OVER A GIVEN PATH TO A SPINNING STATION; SIMULTANEOUSLY COMBING SAID FIBER MATERIAL PASSING OVER SAID PATH AND DRAFTING THE INDIVIDUAL FIBERS THEREOF; COMBINING THE THUS DRAFTED FIBERS TO A FIBER STRAND OF A THICKNESS REQUIRED FOR A DESIRED YARN, THEREBY FORMING A SLIVER; AND, WHILE DEVIATING AND WITHDRAWING FROM SAID GIVEN PATH THE THUS FORMED SLIVER IN A DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE FIBER MATERIAL IS BEING FED TO THE SPINNING STATION, TWISTING THE INDIVIDUAL FIBERS OF SAID DEVIATED SLIVER ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE LATTER TO THEREBY FORM A SPUN YARN.
 3. IN COMBINATION IN A SPINNING DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUSLY SPINNING FIBER MATERIAL: A ROTATABLE SUPPORTING MEMBER, MOVABLE FEEDING MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID ROTATABLE SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR CONTINUOUSLY FEEDING THE FIBER MATERIAL TO BE SPUN TO A POINT OF WITHDRAWAL LOCATED ON THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER, SAID FEEDING MEANS ADDITIONALLY BEING ROTATABLE TOGETHER WITH SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER ABOUT THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF THE LATTER, MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AT A SPEED HIGHER THAN THE FEEDING SPEED OF SAID FEEDING MEANS, AND MEANS FOR DEVIATING AND GUIDING THE FIBER MATERIAL AWAY FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER IN THE FORM OF A SPUN YARN. 